10 gallon overflow

[pistonfister]

I am trying to add a 3 galllon refuge to my 10 gallon reef. I am in need of an overflow. I am looking for any ideas. Thanks

[Vish]

use the search button with overflow as your key word...

[wetworx101]

unless you want to drill...look at my post just a couple before this one labelled "check this out" It may seem unsighty....but think how easy it would be to modify into a single syphon overflow. (use grey pipe, increase pipe size to 1.25": very easy to build and a compact version would be great...I am working on one now. Or you can check out glazer's post on how he made an overflow for his AGA 7 bowfront recently.

[pistonfister]

wetworx101, I liked your idea. How do you think it would work on my 10 gallon if I just used one pvc ? I am using a very small return pump so I am not going to have to much flow.

[wetworx101]

This is DIY, so if it works or not is up to you. I have made some important notes however. First I must define a few terms with ref. to an overflow such as this. The first overflow, or internal, is what I refer to as the first part the water goes through, usually a box in the aquarium with a strainer at the top, in this case, a tube with teeth cut into it. Then there is the first "U". This is directly under the first overflow, and connects to the syphon. (The syphon being pretty obvious, but for this project: the length going over the lip of the aquarium to the second "U") Then there is the syphon break...the open top on the pieces outside of the aquarium. Then the second, or external overflow, on the outside...leading to the actual drain. The example you saw was just a redundant version of what can be done with one tube. I am using 1.25" PVC for my intake & strainer. I just drill holes into it at the top. I had intended to leave as little PVC showing in the aquarium as possible by going from the strainer area immediately into the two elbows to make the first "U", making the strainer very shallow, but I realized that may be a mistake. Ever notice how when syphoning water, when first syphoning the water, it has enough momentum to rise to a higher level initially in the tube than what the water level is in he aquarium? The same can be problematic here. In the event the overflow runs out of water, there is no big internal overflow box to have some extra water as an "equalizing" buffer should this occur. So, the water, especially in smaller diameter tubes, can continue to be syphoned even when it has nowhere to go on the other end really...and then air gets in...hell, this can even happen from the initial overflow currect catching bubbles. THE MORAL OF THE STORY if you will: make the initial overflow "U" deeper than usual, especially the smaller diameter piping you go. This will help prevent air from entering the syphon.

Next, make sure the second overflow is somewhere between the initial overflow's level and no lower than a couple inches above the bottom af the initial "U".

Also, to prevent clogging (and the deaths that may follow) use as big a pipe on the intake as possible...it can be reduced at the bottom before entering the initial "U". I am using 1.25" for my intake with many little 3/8" holes drilled in the top 3" of the pipe. Then I have a reducer at the bottom taking it down to 1", I may even go down to 3/4". This means in the tank I have what appears to be one big pipe in the corner of the tank (i made it 10" deep to keep air out and aid in stability) with a smaller pipe behind it. That's all.

I am using a powerhead in my tank for current, and it has an air intake I dont use, so i drilled a hole in the very top of the syphon and glued a fitting for airline in it. I attached airline to it with a check valve, and ran it into the powerhead. That way, any air that does manage to accumulate in the syphon will be sucked out by the powerhead, and worst case scenario, the air comes on full force, alerting me to a broken syphon.

Make sure the open top "syphon break" on the outside of the PVC is well above the water level of the aquarium.